Attachment for golf clubs



March 11, 1941. J TOPPlNG 2,234,638

ATTACHMENT FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed Feb. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-She et 1 magi-235% ATTORNEYS INVENTOR March 11 1941. J. A. TOPPING 2,234,638

ATTACHMENT FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed Feb. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to means auxiliary to the usual grip of a golf club or the like for facilitating the cultivation of a proper action of the hands when executing the swing of the club.

Various attempts have been made heretofore to provide means to assist a beginner to acquire a correct swing and also for improving the game of the more experienced player, but these means have been confined to the control of only one of the hands, while a player ordinarily employs both hands in swinging a golf club. Such means have tended, therefore, to emphasize rather than to correct the lack of proper coordination of the movements of the two hands in the swing. Furthermore, the auxiliary means heretofore devised have usually been attached to the club at such a point on the regular grip thereof as not only to interfere with the free and proper placement of the hands on the grip and with such movements thereof as take place in the swing, but any pull exerted by the attachment has usually been at the wrong point in the length of the club.

The present invention aims to provide auxiliary swing improving means in the form of a sling which, in operation, will embrace both of the players hands, which will be attached to the club at such a point that any pull exerted thereby will not tend to distort the path of movement of the club and which will so exert its control over the movement of the hands of the player in swinging the club that, while effecting an improvement in the normal manipulation of the club by the player, the player will be substantially unconscious of the action of the auxiliary means.

The invention comprises essentially a loop of flexible material adapted to be connected usually to the side of the club shaft which is the under side as the player addresses the ball and preferably at a point slightly below the usual club grip. This loop, as above suggested, embraces both hands of the player as he grips the club and is of such length that it will rest snugly but not tightly against the little finger of the left hand of a right-handed player or against the little finger of the right hand of a left-handed player When addressing the ball.

An important feature of the invention, therefore, is the freedom from substantially any direct interference of the attachment with the movements of all parts of the two hands except the little ,finger of what may be termed the lead hand and the exertion of its guiding and assisting action on the little finger in such a mild manner that this action is scarcely noticeable to the player although effective in its result.

Other important features of the invention are the ease of attachment and detachment of the auxiliary means or sling, the construction of the sling in such manner that only at the point where it engages the little finger is there any subs-tantial spread of the material over either hand and the complete swingability and flexibility of the sling in all lateral directions.

Still other features of the invention will appear from the following description and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the grip end of a golf club with the attachment of the present invention thereon, this view illustrating the manner of use;

Figure 2 is a similar perspective illustrating the manner of obtaining the initial adjustment of the attachment when putting it on the club;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the sling part of the attachment;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail View of the ring part of one form of attaching mean connected 1 to the club shaft;

' Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ring part of the attaching means of Figure 4 and the means for connecting it to the club shaft before placement thereon;

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating a modified means for connecting the sling to the club;

Figure 7 is a detail section of the club provided with the attaching means shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a detail section illustrating another form of attaching means, and

Figure 9 is a detail section illustrating a fourth form of attaching means.

As hereinab'ove suggested, the invention comprises essentially a sling and means for attaching the sling to the golf club in such manner as to permit free swinging movement of the sling about a point in the attaching means, the sling comprising a loop 2, which may be formed of any suitable strap or cord, the strap or cord preferably being formed of some material that does not stretch or shrink easily so that when once adjusted to the players manner of holding the club it will not readily get out of adjustment. A material found to be suitable for this purpose is a commercial tightly braided cord. The loop 2, as shown particularly in Figure 1 of the drawings, is large enough loosely to encircle or encompass the two hands of the player when gripping the grip portion 4 of the club and is of such a length that when the sling is connected to the club, as hereinafter to be described, the end of the loop remote from the connection will bear snugly against the side of the first joint of the little finger 6 of the left hand of a right-handed player or the little finger of the right hand of a lefthanded player, leaving the remaining portions of the hands lightly embraced by the narrow cord of the two sides of the loop. In other words, the little finger of that hand which is commonly referred to as the lead hand in describing golf strokes is the one on which the sling exerts its corrective action.

To permit the use of comparatively narrow cord, both because of its flexibility and also to avoid any substantial bearing surface where the loop embraces the remaining portions of the two hands, a bearing strip or guard 8 is preferably provided at the end of the loop so that the part of the loop that actually bears against the little finger will present a considerable width of bearing surface and thus not tend to cut into or hurt the flesh of saidfinger. The guard 8, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is preferably put upon the cord or strap of the loop 2 by cutting four little slots It therethrough so that that part of the strip or guard 8 which bears against the side of the little finger will be between the cord 2 and the little finger, thus permitting the knot I2, which is tied in the cord after the loop 2 ha been adjusted to the particular player, to be tied at this end of the loop and on the outside of the guard B.

As hereinabove suggested, the sling is preferably connected to the golf club at a point on the shaft M below the grip portion 4 and any suitable means may be provided for effecting such connection, such means preferably providing for a free lateral swinging movement of the loop in all lateral directions about a point in the connection to avoid any interference with the free manipulation of the club by the player other than the slight control effected by the pull of the sling against the little finger of the lead hand. A very simple and satisfactory means for connecting the sling to the shaft 14 of the golf club is illustrated in assembled form in Figures 1 and 2 and in detail in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The illustrative means comprises a ring H5, here shown as a rectangular ring of some suitable metal, to which is attached a cord IS in any suitable manner as by the slip knot 20 shown. t a short distance above the connection of the cord Hi to the ring 20 the two branches of the cord I8 coming from the slip knot 2d are preferably fastened together by any suitable means, such as a relatively stiff split ring 22, or a knot in the cord, the purpose being to allow the two branches of the cord to be tied around the shaft 14 to connect the ring [6 t the shaft and leave a portion of the cord unwrapped about the shaft to permit some swinging movement of the ring It. If it be desired to relieve somewhat the strain upon the split ring 22, tending to spread it when the ring H is pulled against its connections to the shaft, the two branches of the cord It may be looped around the side of the split ring 22 opposite the split therein before the ring is clamped together at the split, as illustrated at 2 To provide against slipping of the connection to the shaft l4 lengthwise of the shaft, before the cord i8 is wrapped around the shaft It to connect the ring it thereto a strip of adhesive tape 28 is preferably wrapped about the shaft, thus providing a compressible surface into which the cord I8 may be drawn before knotting.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the connection between the loop 2 and the ring I6 is a spring hook 28 having an eye 30 through which the cord of the loop 2 passes and having an outturned lip 32 to permit the convenient hooking of the hook 28 over the ring I6. To insure the maintenance of the book 28 at a definite point on the sling, the two branches of the cord of the loop 2, as they leave the eye 38, are preferably clamped together by any suitable clamping means 35, such as a split metal ring of relatively stiff material.

In Figures 6 and 7 is illustrated a modified means of connecting the sling to the shaft of the golf club. In this modified form of connection the shaft i l of a steel golf club is provided with a slot 36 opening into its hollow interior and for the spring snap hook 23 is substituted a hook 38 which is also of resilient material and which is so constructed that it will not rock about the edge of the slot 36 and slip into the inside of the shaft. As here shown, the hook 38 is bent upon itself at All to provide a portion bearing against the inside of the wall of the shaft and is bent upon itself again at 42 to provide a portion bearing upon the outside of the shaft at the upper end of the slot, this portion of the hook having formed on it the eye through which the cord of the loop 2 passes. At its other end the hook 38 has a reversely bent portion 4 3 with a lip 45 extending to the outside of the slot when the hook is in position, this portion, when the lip is engaged and the hook is bent inwardly slightly, permitting sufficient change in the shape of the hook so that it can be brought through the slot at this end and thus permit the withdrawal of the hook.

In Figure 8 is shown a simpler form of hook intended to go through a mere hole 46 drilled through the wall of the shaft, this hook 48 having a reversely bent portion 50, with the two legs of the bend brought so closely together that the hook cannot rock about the edge of the hole and slip inside the shaft, thus possibly varying the length of the sling.

In Figure 9 is shown still another form of 6 connection in which a ring 52-, which receives the lower end of the loop portion 2 of the sling, is connected to the U-loop 54 in a metal strap or cleat 56 adapted to be secured to the side of the shaft M of the golf club by wrapping a cord or strap or wire 58 thereabout, the ends of the wrapping means 58 being brought into a small U-loop 60 in the strap or cleat 56.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the novel sling of the present invention can readily be connected toor disconnected from any one of a series of golf clubs, each of which will preferably be permanently provided with the ring it, slot 35, or hole 16, if a single sling is to be used with a plurality of clubs, and that when the sling has thus been connected to the club it may readily be adjusted to the players characteristic manner of gripping the club by placing the left hand of a right-handed player as shown in Figure 2 in its normal position on the club andthen causing the loop to bereduced or enlarged to such dimensions that the bearin strip or guard 8 bears snugly against the side of the first joint of the little finger 6 when the hand is in this position, after which the cord of the loop 2 can be knotted,

as shown at l2 in Figures 3 and 6, so as to keep this dimension of the loop.

Of course, if the same sling is to be used with a number of different clubs, then the attaching means remaining on the various clubs should each be adjusted in its position on the shaft to the loop size first determined.

The ring I6, slot 36, hole 50 or strap or cleat 56 is preferably placed upon the under side of the club as the club is held when the player is addressing the ball. The length of the loop 2 is also determined when the player is holding the club in the position in which he addresses the ball, with the pressure of the guard or hearing strip 8 against the little finger, when the club is held in this position, while snug enough to keep the loop in shape, preferably not sufiicient to be markedly noticeable.

The result of such an adjustment is that as the club is swung over the shoulder of the player, preparatory to driving, there will be a gradually increasing pressure of the guard 8 against the little finger 6 and this pressure will continue during the swing to a point sufficient to insure that the player does not markedly vary the path of the swing on the down stroke. In other words, the sling effects, in a manner of which the player is "scarcely conscious, such a supervision of the coordination of the two hands in effecting a swing that any spasmodic tendency which either hand may have to fail to coordinate is effectively overcome.

The pressure of the guard 8 against the little finger 5 also helps to overcome the tendency of some players to permit the lead hand to open up slightly near the end of the back swing of the club. This opening up action usually starts with the little finger, thus leaving the work of controlling the club as it starts its down stroke to be done by the other three fingers of this hand.

If a player holds his lead hand closed upon the club at the end of the back swing, it is then not necessary for him to close the hand upon the club during the down stroke. Since it is the last two fingers of the lead hand that play the important part of this hand when the golf ball is hit, by making possible the snap of the wrist which is important at the time the head of the club strikes the ball, it is important that these fingers grip the club throughout the entire down swing so as to effect the pulling of the club head at the ball just as the club strikes the ball to help produce the snap of the wrist effect. If the fingers have opened up at the end of the back stroke, then they must close sooner or later on the down swing, and it is this quick gripping action that disrupts what would otherwise be a good smooth swing.

With the slin of the present invention pulling the guard 8 against the little finger 6, although the little finger may open up it is less likely to. Moreover, as it closes, in the event that it has opened up, it adjusts the club to the proper striking position with less effort. On account of its great flexibility and on account of its being fastened on the shaft of the club below the players hand, the sling tends to pull the club in at the ball with greater speed and thus helps to furnish the desired whip or snap at the point of contact of the club head with the ball.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of sufficient size to embrace both hands of the player when the hands are placed on the club grip in the usual manner, and means for so connecting said sling to the club shaft at a point on said shaft below the hands that said sling may freely swing bodily about a point in said connection.

2. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of sufficient size to embrace both hands of the player when the hands are placed on the club grip in the usual manner, and means for so connecting said sling to the club shaft at a point on said shaft below the hands that said sling may freely swing bodily about a point in said connection, with said loop adjusted to bear at its end remote from said connection against the little finger of one of said hands.

3. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of sufficient size to embrace both hands of the player when the hands are placed on the club grip in the usual manner, the loop portion of said sling being formed of narrow flexible material, a wider finger bearing member at the end of the loop and means for so connecting said sling to the club shaft at a point on said shaft below the usual club grip that the finger bearing portion of said loop bears against the little finger of the players hand which is remote from the connection when the club is gripped by the players two hands in the usual manner.

4. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of sufiicient size at least to encircle both hands of the player when the hands are placed on the club grip in the usual manner, means at one end of said sling for connecting it,

with provision for free swinging movement, to

the club shaft at a point below the portion of the club normally gripped by the two hands of the player, and means at the other end of said sling for providing a wide bearing surface against the little finger of the players hand adjacent to said end.

5. The combination with a golf club having the usual head, shaft and grip portions, of a sling connected to the shaft at a point below the portion of the club normally gripped by the play ers two hands, said sling comprising a loop of a size freely to encircle both hands of the player when engaging the club grip in the usual manner and with the end of the loop in snug engagement with the little finger of the hand remote from the attachment of the sling to the shaft.

6. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of narrow flexible substantially non-stretchable material and a wider finger bearing member carried at the end of the loop and means for so connecting said sling to the club shaft that the finger bearing portion of said loop bears snugly against the little finger of the players lead hand when the club is gripped by the players two hands in the usual manner.

7. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a member having a finger bearing surface of substantial width and shaped to engage the last finger of the lead hand of the player, and means much narrower than said finger bearing surface for so attaching it to the golf club that it is located in position to engage said finger and to tend to prevent the lead hand from opening on the back swing.

8. An attachment for golf clubs comprising a sling having a loop of sufilcient size to embrace both hands of the player when the hands are placed on the club grip in the usual manner, the loop portion of said sling being formed of narrow, flexible, not easily stretchable material of string-like transverse dimensions, a Wider finger bearing member at the end of the loop, and means for so connecting said sling to the club shaft at a point on said shaft below the 5 usual club grip that said sling may freely swing in any angular direction about said connection and that the finger bearing portion of said loop will engage the little finger of the lead hand of the player in such manner as to exert a. slight pull thereon on the back swing for the purpose of preventing said hand from opening.

JOHN A. TOPPING. 

